Bedford Borough Transport Model Assessment of Local Plan 2040 Preferred Strategy

Object

Representation ID: 9319

Received: 28/07/2022

Respondent: Bedfordia Developments Ltd and Marcol Industrial Investment LLP

Agent: Lichfields

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Local Plan is not legally complaint owing to failure to comply with the duty to co-operate and fails to meet the tests of soundness. The Council has not co-operated effectively with neighbouring authorities regarding strategic cross-boundary impacts (including transportation) of the proposed new settlement at Little Barford and the transport evidence (BBTM) is not consistent with national policy (NPPF Paragraph 73c) with serious concerns over the application of the BBTM results to the site selection process.

Comment

Representation ID: 10514

Received: 29/07/2022

Respondent: National Highways

Supporting Documentation - Transport Evidence Base
National Highways is generally supportive of the transport modelling approach to
support the spatial strategy for the proposed local plan. The methodology is
appropriate, and the study area is sufficient to provide an understanding of the
cumulative impacts of the growth on the SRN, and in turn the level of strategic
interventions required to support delivery of the plan. Given the scale and implications
of the growth on the network, further work is needed to fully understand the impacts
of opportunities for delivery. Given the potential shortfall in funding as set out in the
IDP, and potential uncertainties with delivery of some of the interventions National
Highways is keen to continue to work closely with the Council to confirm the package
of interventions to support delivery of the plan.